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If you're looking for an active way to see historic countryside villages, and even the occasional wild boar or brown bear, Northern Spain is the perfect destination.

When most people think of Spain, they conjure up images of beaches and bullfighting, of sevillana dances and jugs of blood-red sangría. In other words, when most people think of Spain, they think of the south.

Spain's northern countryside, however, is lush and green. Step away from the highway, and the roads are narrow and winding, climbing to ancient villages, hilltop churches and giddy panoramas. Plus, the weather in the north is cooler, and the tourists are fewer. It's the perfect place for a cycle touring holiday.

In the Saddle

San Sebastián is a historic town on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, in Spain's Basque Country. It's a good base from which to start a cycling trip, not least because it's famous for its tapas. Spend your first evening touring the tascas, or tapas bars, and diligently fuel your muscles for the workout to come.

It's often wise to start a cycle tour with a gentle day so, the next morning, try heading west on the N634 to Orio and then to the fishing village of Getaria. This road is the opening section of the Clásica San Sebastián road race. It was the first race that Lance Armstrong ever entered as a pro – and he came in dead last. To give him his due, though, nearly half the field didn't finish at all.

Gathering Speed

One of the great attractions of this part of Spain is the number of tiny old villages, each bursting with character, that lie among the hills.

Heading southeast from San Sebastián, you'll come into the foothills of the Pyrenees. Near the French border, villages such as Ziga still build their houses in the traditional style, each decorated with blooming flowers. It's also worth visiting Burguete, a few kilometers from the French border and the monastery at Roncesvalles, where Hemingway stayed. The village is featured in his novel The Sun Also Rises.

You're now on the path of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, so look out for hikers carrying the traditional Santiago scallop shell.

A Ride on the Wild Side

After a day or two, pedaling the mountain ascents doesn't seem arduous any more. There's a gentle rhythm to the climbs and then, when you reach the top, you can take a rest and admire the view because you're not in the Tour de France but on holiday.

Herds of mountain horses live in these hills, and sometimes you'll see them gallop across the green, their blond manes flowing and the bells around their necks chiming in mellow harmony. Families of pigs snuffling for acorns on the roadside are common. There's also the occasional brown bear and a few wild boar still roaming these parts, but take heart – they're rarely spotted.

Most of the time, in this serene and scenic part of the world, you'll have the roads to yourself.

Getting There:
You can fly to San Sebastián from Madrid or Barcelona with Iberia and Spanair. Biarritz airport, on the French side of the border, is only 35 miles away and has connections to London and Paris, while Bilbao is about an hour away, and connects by air to a wider variety of European destinations. San Sebastián is also well served by train and bus routes.

Lodging:
Many of the hill villages in the Pyrenean foothills have one or more casas rurales, or country houses, whose owners rent rooms bed and breakfast-style. Check here for more information.

Polly Evans is the author of It's Not About the Tapas: A Spanish Adventure on Two Wheels, published by Delta. You can visit her on the Web.